The Laurelbrook Seventh-day Adventist Church service on October 6, 2018 began with Clayton Brandt welcoming everyone and making a few announcements. Pastor Richar has places for students to do witnessing this afternoon.
Samantha (junior) played “The Lord Is In His Holy Temple” while the congregation knelt and the people on the platform and the deacons entered. The congregation had a silent invocation. The congregation then sang “Stand like the Brave”. Edvan had the main prayer; the congregation responded with “Hear Our Prayer, O Lord”.
Denisse (junior) then called for the offering. Daryll Ellis and Eldric (sophomore) then collected the morning offerings; the loose offering went to the local church budget. Maria and Leilani (juniors) played their instruments during the offering collection. The congregation sang the doxology, and Jester Felarca prayed for the offering.
Scott Sterling told the children a story about a spelling bee. From her school Karen made it to the next level. She felt she was ready to win the contest. The word “surprise” made her wonder if it was right. The boy next to her didn’t cover his word so she checked to see if her word was right; unfortunately, she made a change. Karen had to sit down because she gave in to the temptation to look.
Dafne (junior) then read Genesis 39:3 “And his master saw that the LORD [was] with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.” Eliseo (junior) played his cello, accompanied by Samantha (junior) on the piano, for special music.
Edvan discussed the topic “Teenagers Shining in an Opposite World”. Samantha sang a vocal solo, accompanied by Edvin on his saxophone and Jeremy Westcott on the piano. The congregation sang “Sound the Battle Cry”. Edvan had the closing prayer.
Personnel Other Than Students:
Clayton Brandt - works with Laurelbrook's heavy equipment
Daryll Ellis – works for nearby Majestic Stone Company / local church deacon / Laurelbrook graduate
Jester Felarca – works as a C.N.A. in the Laurelbrook Nursing Home
Pastor Richar (Perez) - academy boys' dean / campus chaplain
Scott Sterling – Laurelbrook IT person / Laurelbrook pilot trainer / loves to work with a telescope
Following are some notes on the sermon by Edvan:
- Lotus flowers grow in the muck but produce beautiful flowers.
- Adventist teenagers don’t have a plan for their lives and don’t have even the ambition to finish high school or college.
- Joseph prepared to shine despite a lot of obstacles.
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Joseph decided to be a spiritual young person. Genesis 39:2 “And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.”
- Joseph made his spirituality the priority of his life.
- We have to create our own spiritual environment by reading good books and studying the Bible as well as making spiritual things a priority in whatever we do.
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Joseph decided to be a hard and excellent worker. Genesis 39:4-6 “4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all [that] he had he put into his hand. 5 And it came to pass from the time [that] he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. 6 And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was [a] goodly [person], and well favoured.”
- Genesis 39:22 “And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that [were] in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer [of it].”
- Surely Joseph had new ideas for his work and didn’t lose time when working. He was always active.
- Ellen White says in Patriarchs and Prophets that Joseph’s success was due to his personal work and God’s blessing.
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Pleasures of the minute didn’t distract Joseph. Genesis 39:7-8 “7 ¶ And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8 But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what [is] with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;”
- Dishonoring his master was the same to Joseph as dishonoring God.
- Genesis 39:9 “[There is] none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou [art] his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
- God gives us the victory if we trust in Him.
- Joseph knew the consequences of resistance to the woman’s wishes. We always have to think on the right side.
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Joseph understood that all things are part of God’s plan. Genesis 45:8 “So now [it was] not you [that] sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.”
- He never complained about the way in which God led him.
- Joseph learned the lessons of justice, sympathy, and mercy in that prison.
- Success comes from the decisions we make.
- Ellen White says that the formation of a noble character is the work of a lifetime. Success is dependent on the use of the opportunities God gives us to use.